EDUCATION
DPhil, Development Studies, University of Oxford (2002-2008)
Thesis: “Land Use, Common Property, and Development Among Pastoralists in
Central Tibet (1884-2004)”
MSc, Rangeland Management, University of California-Berkeley (1997-1999)
Thesis: “Stewards of the Land: Rangeland Management in Dolpo, West Nepal”
BA, History, Brown University (1988-1992)
Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude
TEACHING AND CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, University of Vermont (2007-present)
Instructor in community development, social entrepreneurship and applied research
methods in the department of Community Development and Applied Economics.
Research Associate, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford (2007-2010)
Team member of a collaborative project investigating the impacts of fenced enclosures
on the Tibetan Plateau. Funded by the European Commission, our multi-national and
multi-disciplinary team is examining the effects of fencing on livestock productivity,
wildlife, vegetation, and the socio-economics of Tibetan pastoralists.
President, DROKPA (1998-present)
Volunteer president of a non-profit organization that implements grassroots
development and catalyzes social entrepreneurship in Nepal, India, China, Mongolia,
and Bhutan. DROKPA has leveraged more than $180,000 to meet pressing energy,
education, and public health needs in the Himalaya and Central Asia.
Consultant, Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund (2007)
Lead consultant for TPAF’s rangeland program in the Tibet Autonomous Region, PRC.
Responsibilities entailed the monitoring and evaluation of an integrated development
project in pastoral areas that includes micro-credit, range management training, and
capacity building for local government partners.
Consultant, Agriteam Canada (2006-2007)
Consultant for Agriteam’s monitoring and evaluation services on a World Bank-funded
project in pastoral areas of Gansu and Xinjiang Prefectures, PRC.
Consultant, Digital Himalaya Project, Cornell University (2004-2005)
Coordinator of a team of anthropologists and programmers developing an Internet
portal for research on the Himalayas and Tibet that includes image archives, interactive
maps, and query-able census data.
Consultant, Planning Corporation, Santa Barbara, CA (1999-2002)
Ecologist for development-related activities in southern California including wetland
permitting, environmental impact assessments, endangered species monitoring,
mitigation and restoration.
National Consultant, World Wildlife Fund, Nepal Program (1994-1996)
Drafted national park management plans, edited a conservation research monograph
series, and applied Geographic Information Systems to map WWF project areas.
PUBLICATIONS
[Under review]
“The Herder’s Environment: A Case Study of Resource Use Patterns Among Tibetan
Pastoralists.” Mountain Research and Development.
[2008]
“Linking Landscape Epistemes and Bridging Political Divides: Using Participatory
Mapping and GIS to Study Common Property in a Tibetan Pastoral Community.”
Cultural Geographies.
“Introduction: Demographics, Development, and the Environment in Tibetan areas of
China.” Journal of the International Association of Tibetan Studies, Special Issue.
“Three Contemporary Takes on Community-Based Forest Management.” Book Review.
Development and Change.
Jonathan Davies, Maryam Niamir-Fuller, Carol Kerven, Ken Bauer. “Extensive
Livestock Production in Transition: The Future of Sustainable Pastoralism.” In (eds),
Washington, DC: Island Press.
[2007]
“Mobility, flexibility, and potential of nomadic pastoralism in Eurasia and Africa.” Book
Review. Nomadic Peoples 11(1).
[2006]
“Common Property and Power: Insights from a Spatial Analysis of Historical and
Contemporary Pasture Boundaries among Pastoralists in Central Tibet.” Journal of
Political Ecology 13: 24-47.
[2005]
“Pastoral Development and the Enclosure Movement in the Tibet Autonomous Region
since the 1980s.” Nomadic Peoples 9: 85-115.
[2004]
High Frontiers: Dolpo and the Changing World of Himalayan Pastoralists. New York:
Columbia University Press.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
• University of Vermont: International Incentive Grant, Women’s Center Grant, Service
Learning Implementation Grant, Asian Studies Program Faculty Grant (2007-2008)
• Visiting Research Fellow, Dept of Geography, Dartmouth College (2006-2007)
• Junior Scholar Award, Anthropology & Environment Section, American Association
of Anthropology (2007)
• Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation (2002-2006)
• Clarendon Fund Bursary, University of Oxford (2002-2005)
• Research Fellowship, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropology (2003-2004)
• Regent’s Fellowship, University of California-Berkeley (1997-1999)
• Fulbright Fellowship, Nepal (1996-1997)
SERVICES TO THE PROFESSION
Journals
• Co-editor, Nomadic Peoples
• Advisory Board, Ecological and Environmental Anthropology
• Reviewer, Development and Change, International Journal of Development Issues,
Conservation Biology
• Topic Editor, Encyclopedia of the Earth
University of Vermont
• Peace Corps Fellows Program Director
• Advisory Board, Community-University Partnerships for Service-Learning
• Steering Committee, Community Participatory Action Research Network
• Faculty Member, Asian Studies Program
Professional Associations
• International Committee, Society for Range Management
• International Association of Tibetan Studies
• American Association of Anthropology
• American Association of Geographers
LANGUAGES
Nepali, Tibetan, German